SHIPPING CASUALTY IN THE HARBOUR.

Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 85, 7 October 1889, Page 2

SHIPPING CASUALTY IN THE HARBOUR.

WRECK OP A BAEQUE. NO LIVES LOST. Many residents of Wellington wore thrown into a great state of excitement early on Saturday night by the circulation of a report that a sailing vessel had been wreoked at the Heads while attempting to beat into port* Enquiries made from the Pilot and Signal ' Station elicited the fact that the barque Willie M'Laren, bound from Newcastle to j Wellington, with a cargo of coal, had struck I on some sunken object olose to the Pinnacle Rock, and foundered in about three hours afterward, all on board being saved. The barque left Newcastle with 750 tons) of coal on board on the previous Saturday and made A SMART PASSAGE across, reaching Wellington eight days after her departure from New South Wale 3. She commenced to beat in at about 10 o'clock on Saturday morning against a strong nor'-west wind. As the day wore ou tha breeze increased in strength, until at 4 o'clock half a gale was blowing. Although the vessel had made a fast trip across from Newcastle her progress against the heavy blow on Saturday was very slow, a circumstance which is sufficiently shown by the fact that at about 4.30 o'clock she was only abreast of the Pinnacle Bock, at the sonthern end of Worser Bay, While on the starboard tack, which was taking her into the bay, Bhe STRUCK SOME OBJECT below the surface of the water, just on the outer edge of the bed of kelp which fringes tho Pinnacle Rock. The shock was a light one, and tho opinion of those on board was that if Bhe had struck a rook she had struck so lightly that the only damage sustained was possibly the ripping off of a few sheets of copper. Captain Salmon was positive that she had not grazed a rook, but in order to make sure that she was not damaged to any extent he gave instructions to tho chief officer (Mr. Arthur Henderson) to ascertain whether Bho was making water. The well was accordingly Bounded, and it was ascertained that SHE WAS NOT LEAKING, A few moments after she had strnck she was put about on the port taok, but in less than five minutes a report was made to tho captain that she> was making water, and the pumps were immediately taanned. The water continued to 'gain on. the ni<m, and Captain Salmon then decided toi»k<3 "his j Teasel into Womer Bay. She accordingly i went about, and stood in towards the Pilot Station again, dropping anobor about the middle of the bay. In the meanwhile she had been making water fast, despite the efforts of the crew, who took turne at pumping, and the position became co serious that immediately the anchor was dropped Captain Salmon SIGNALLED FOB TIIE PILOT BOAT to come off at once. Captain Robb, of tho Signal Station, who had been watching the movements of the vessel for some time, at once telephoned to the Pilot Station, and Pilot Henderson lost no time in putting off to the vessel. On reaching her side he was requested to send a telephonio messago into town, asking that a steamer should be sent to the assistance of the barque, as sho was IN A SINKING CONDITION. Pilot Henderson hastened on shore and sent word to Captain Holliday, the Harbonrmaster, that Captain Salmon was anxious to be assisted by a steamer. Captain Holliday recoived tho message about 5 30 o'clock, and believing that Mr. J. H. Williams was the agent of the vessel, he at once communicated tho messago to that gentleman, who hurried down to the wharf and arranged forthe steamer Kawatiri, Captain Apsteiu, which was on the point of leaving for the West Coast, to proceed to the assistance ot the foundering barque. The Kawatiri immediately started for Worper Bay at full speed, and was alongside the Willie M'Laron in about half an hour. She came to an anchorage on the lee side of tho barque, the main dock of which was then almost flush with the wator, and a few moments after this the unfortunate vessel's cable parted, and she STARTED TO DRIFT TOWARD THE SHORE, Captain Salmon now ordered out one of his boats, and the operation was accomplished withonfc much difficulty, as, although the wind was very strong the sea at that partioular looality was not by any means high. The crew took to the boat, in accordance with the orders of the captain, and palled over to the steamer, Captain Salmon and his officers following in the pilot boat, whioh had returned from the shore after the message had been sent to the Harbourmaster. The barque drifted rapidly towards shore, and SANK IN BIX FATHOMS of water, about two cable's length from the beach, her head lying towards the Pilot Station. She foundered about 8 o'olock, or quite three hours after she had Btruck. Ample time_ was thus given those on board to j got in readiness for leaving, but we regret to find that Captain Salmon's attention was so engrossed with other matters that ho failed to save any of his personal effects, all ! of which went down with the vessel. Tho officers and crow took their things over to the steamer, and, as the sea was comparatively smooth, they escaped withont even a wetting. As soon as the barque had sunk, the Kawatiri hove her anohor and returned to Wellington. One of tho sheds on the Queen's Wharf waß placed by Sir. Ferguson, of the Harbour Board, at the disposal of THE SHIPWRECKED CREW, and, after sorting their effeots, they took up their quarters at the Welcome Restaurant, Willis-street. Captain Salmon was driven to Captain Williams' residence on the Terraoe, and the first and Bocond officers went to the City Buffet Hotel, Captain Salmon is A VERT HEAVY LOBER by the disaster. Both tho vcssol and her cargo were uninsured, and as Captain Salmon ■was the owner of both, his loss is a severe one. He had been part owner of the barque for some years, but this was only his third voyage in her as mester. She was not a stranger to this port, as she visited Wellington about two months ago with a cargo of coal from Newcastle. On retuning to that port Bhe was taken up on the slip there, and received a thorough overhaul. Amongst oth.er things she was newly coppered, and she was fitted with a number of new sails, the total amount expended upon her being not less than .£l4OO. Captain Salmon values her at JE2500, and the cargo at about jJBOO. * CAPTAIN BALMON is well-known in Wellington, having been in the employ of Captain Williams for a number of years, and he has the reputation of being a skilful navigator. At different periods he was in command of the Black Diamond sailing colliers Onyx, Cyrus, and Edwin Bassett, the two lastmentioned of which have since been wreokod —the Cyrus off Happy Valley, and the iidwin Basaett at Wanganni. DESCBIPTION OF THE VEB6EL. The Willie M'Laren was a Bmart little wooden barque of 636 tons register, and was built at Prince Edward Island in 1874. Her dimensions were as follows :— Length, 145 ft 4in ; beam, 31ft 6in ; depth, 17ft. She was classed Al at Lloyd's. The chief officor of the vessel was Mr. Arlher Henderson, Mr. Andrew Crombe being Beoond mate. The present was then second trip in the barque. The names of the crew are as follows:— William Williams (donkeyman), Jules, Christian Christiansen, Harry Brearman, Richard Batteraby, Martin Ellison, Fred. Ohlsen, Peter Neilsen (cook), and Thomas Harris (cabin boy). It is worthy of mention that Neilsen was on board the barque Kate Latham when she was half wreoked at the entrance to Pioton last year. <